11/10/13

One Flimsy Coming Right Up

Well, I'm just about finished with this Salt Water Taffy quilt top. I spent yesterday afternoon on it, and I can probably finish it in about an hour today. I started by making the last four pieced blocks:





(Ever wonder if you need glasses?)

The remaining blocks for this quilt are just 6-1/2 inch squares. When I was still hanging around the Quilting Board, I solicited flannel scraps from folks in exchange for money or something from my stash. I was amazed at how many folks just sent them to me for free. Now I have more flannel scraps than I know what to do with. I started this quilt in May of 2012, and I am going to be very glad to get it down off my design wall where it has been hogging almost the entire space for a very long time.

So once those were done, I started sewing the rows together. I don't like working with lots of bulk because I have a limited amount of space around my sewing machine. So I'm sewing them together in groups of three rows. This quilt has 12 rows, so I'm sewing four groups of three rows, then two groups of six rows, then I'll sew the two halves together. That way, I only have to sew with the entire bulk of the quilt for just one long seam. Nifty, huh? I'd hate to tell you how many times I wrestled with a big quilt before figuring out to do it in groups like this. Quilting makes you smart that way.

So, after I had the first three rows sewn together, Smitty thanked me for making him a new quilt.


"Thanks. Don't mind if I do."

So I have six rows, plus the next two rows sewn together now. Just four rows to go.


And Miss Gracie is stuck to Mike's lap like velcro. It makes it hard to walk around the house like that.


"Thanks. Don't mind if I do."

Kitties only need a few sentences to get through their lives: "Feed me." and "Thanks. Don't mind if I do."

13 comments:

Sher S. said...

Love your quilt. I figured out to sew rows together like that also this year. It makes life so much easier. Love the kitties and where they love to be. My dc's cats loved to find ways to get into my stash and stay warm. They also took over any quilt left sitting out where they could command it. They know what's best in life.

Sher S. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kate said...

Looks like the Kitties are glad that both humans are home for the weekend. Good luck on getting the Salt Water Taffy quilt sewn together. I like to sew my quilts together that way, work in rows, then in halves. It seems to go faster that way.

Anonymous said...

ROFL!! Great post!!!! Hugs.....

Lyndsey said...

Yep that's how I approach sewing a quilt together as it's less bulk. The kitties look very happy and your machine is obviously purring well.

Junebug613 said...

Yes, learning any tricks to make handling lots of fabric in a small space is appreciated. Kitties are pretty simple to read! How sweet that Gracie is keeping her daddy on the couch.

BillieBee (billiemick) said...

Elly thinks all the fabric is just for her as well. Miss Grace is doing a good job. Sit on Mike and he can't go anywhere.....:)

Teresa in Music City said...

You're right - Salt Water Taffy kind of grows on me each time I see it :) It's going to be comfy and cuddly, that's for sure! And I can't blame Miss Gracie... I'd be doing a little clinging too :)

Lynda Halliger Otvos (Lynda M O) said...

Your kittehs have their designated jobs and take them seriously. Miss Gracie looks like a combination of Happy Daddy's Home and Back Away Slowly and No One Gets Hurt. Funny expression on her li'l kitty-mug. BillieBee nailed it in her comment-Grace holds Mike in place !~! Your quilt is pretty; I put them together the same way-into ever larger pieces but only having to wrestle the entire flimsy one time. You have taught me so much, Barb, thank you.

Tami C said...

I learned very early to sew rows together like that. Popeye would let me do it any other way! I have to make sure to close my strip drawers or Popeye will crawl into them. I can just imagine how happy Gracie is to have Mike home! And, I bet she's not the only one!

Michele said...

Hehehe. The kittie antics are always entertaining.

Brown Family said...

I like to sew groups together and only have one or two long seams in a quilt! Sometimes it is a challenge!

quiltzyx said...

Wait! Gracie & Smitty say thanks? LOL

Salt Water Taffy is looking mighty fine. You probably have it together by now, I'm so far behind!